Coin handling apparatus



1967 L. MANNING L COIN HANDLING APPARATUS 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 5, 1965 S s m 3 T wn Nm r I w am a 'w I F .mmflw LA 7 0 q F U fiU m. a m Q 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V ENTORS L. MANNING ET AL COIN HANDLING APPARATUS mg m Dec. 19, 1967 Filed Nov. 5, 1965 *5 m 5 i r w m i A M? L A 7d 1 m 1 i l Z Dec. 19, 1967 MANNlNG ETAL COIN HANDLIN G APPARATUS 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov. 3, 1965 Fig.5

INVENTORS n 9 .W flgww, m H n A a v Mw@ Y d 0 .mm L 7w Dec. 19, MANNXNG ET AL COIN HANDLING APPARATUS 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Nov. 5, 1965 Fig.7 6%

INVENTORS Lindley- Manning Alan Day Attorneys 1967 L. MANNING ET AL COIN HANDLING APPARATUS 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed. Nov.

m 9. mm v m m0 M r m m L .Alqn Day 744 @dmsp Attorneys Dec. 19, 1967 MANNING ET AL COIN HANDLING APPARATUS 6 Sheets-Sheet G Filed Nov.

INVENTORS s g a m m mQ/wm M a v Y Mn .n MAM United States Patent f 3,358,700 CGIN HANDLING APPARATUS Lindley Manning, Reno, Nev., and Alan Day, Hayward, Calif., assignors to Nevada Electronics, Reno, Nev., a corporation of Nevada Filed Nov. 3, 1965, Ser. No. 506,181 13 Claims. (Ci. 133-5) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A vertical riser column for guiding a column of coins upwardly in edge to edge relation in a plane. A detent protrudes into the column for engaging the lowermost coin in the column to arrest retrograde movement of the column and is movable away from the column as coins are driven upwardly therein. The riser column communicates with a cylindrical tube for forming coins into a vertical cylindrical stack and includes a discharge slot at the bottom of the stack for permitting passage of an ejector having portions for lifting the coins to activate the stack and prevent tenting of the stack of coins as it is lowered.

This invention relates to coin handling apparatus of a type suitable for use in coin operated machines wherein coins are accepted into the machine, collected and discharged therefrom, for example, as in making change for vending machines, coin changers and the like. The apparatus of this invention is particularly suited for use in systems described in Tiedemann US. Patent 3,168,179, for Coin Handling Device, issued Feb. 2, 1965, and in application for US. Patent Ser. No. 337,083, filed Jan. 10, 1964, now Patent No. 3,245,919, for Coin Handling Apparatus, in the names of Manning and Tiedemann.

In apparatus of the kind described it is a continuing objective to provide a smooth flow of coins into and out of the machine without jamming or obstructing the path of coin movement.

A further problem encountered with machines of the kind described is to be found in the fact that whenever a machine breaks down it is ordinarily desirable to remove all money from all parts of the machine prior to removing the machine to a repair facility.

It is a general object of the present invention to provide an improved coin handling apparatus overcoming these and other problems.

Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide a coin handling apparatus wherein all the coins within the apparatus can be readily and quickly removed.

In coin handling apparatus of the present kind, wherein coins are collected in a cylindrical column, a problem frequently encountered is that of tenting of coins within the column, as where two coins will fail to settle properly into the column of coins, but will lean against each other. Other similar problems of confused coin settling are also well known in feeding coins to a cylinder for stacking.

Accordingly, it is another object of the invention to provide coin handling apparatus wherein coins can be readily collected in a cylindrical column thereof.

These and other objects of the invention will be more clearly apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of an assemblage of three coin handling devices according to the invention for handling coins of three different denominations and shown in three degrees of disassembly namely fully assembled as at the right; coin lifter and holding apparatus removed in the center assembly; and front cover plates removed in the lefthand assembly;

3,358,700 Patented Dec. 19, 1967 FIGURE 2 is an elevation view of the back of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 1 and with hose connections cut away for clarity;

FIGURE 3 is an elevation view from the left side of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged front elevation detail view taken along the line 44 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged side elevation detail view in section taken along the line 5-5 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 6 is a front elevation enlarged detail view taken along the line 6-6 of FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged detail view taken along the line 77 of FIGURE 8;

FIGURE 8 is a top plan view of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of FIGURE 3 showing a coin ejecting assembly;

FIGURE 10 is a front elevation view taken along the line 1010 of FIGURE 9;

FIGURE 11 is an enlarged detail view of the portion taken along the line 1111 of FIGURE 1, partly cutaway to show details of the lockout mechanism;

FIGURE 12 is a top plan View in cross-section taken along the lines 1212 of FIGURE 11; and

FIGURE 13 is a side elevational view partly in section, together with a schematic diagram, the view in section being taken along the lines 13-13 of FIGURE 11.

The general system organization of the coil handling apparatus, described in detail below, centers generally around a vertical riser channel for guiding a column of coins upwardly in their own planes in edge to edge relation. Means are provided for feeding coins into the riser channel and for directing emerging coins from the top of the riser channel into a cylindrical coin collecting container. The entering and emerging .coins are confined to edgewise advance substantially in the same plane as the riser channel. Apparatus is provided for discharging coins from the bottom of the container which, during the discharging movement further serves to activate the collected cylindrical column of coins upwardly causing the coins in the collected column to settle properly. Referring now more particularly to FIGURES 1-5, a vertical riser channel 10 is machined, or otherwise formed, to extend upwardly in a vertical plane defined by a backing plate 12.

Means for feeding c'oins into riser channel 10 include the passage 14 formed at the side edge of channel 10 and dimensioned to pass coins laterally into channel 10. A downwardly directed coin receiving channel 16 is also machined from plate 12, or otherwise formed, so as to lie substantially in the same plane as that of channel 10. The receiving channel 16 is arranged to guide coins, falling therealong by gravity, in their own planes so as to pass them through passageway 14 (FIGURE 4).

A readily removable coin lifter assembly 18 includes a bifurcated coin lifting member 20 adapted to be movable between lowered and raised positions along the slot 21. Coin lifting member 20 includes upper and lower tines 22, 24 and a readily releasable threaded bolt 26 carried rotatably in a support block 28. Tine 22 is disposed in slot 21 with its upper surface at or below the lower edge of passageway 14 whereby coins passing into riser channel 10 will come to rest thereon. Thus, upward movement of member 20 serves to initially lift the coin upwardly in channel 10 and thereafter to raise the 1 entire column 23 of coins.

a 32 includes a threaded opening adapted to receive the bolt 26 whereby movement of rod 36 serves to apply a reciprocation to member 20 so as to raise the coin column 23 stacked in the channel 10.

Means are provided in channel for arresting return movement of the column 23 of coins after it has been lifted by member 20. Such means includes a detent or pawl 39 having distal and proximal ends. A leaf member 40 is arranged to support the pawl whereby the distal, or free, end of pawl 39 extends into a recess 42 formed in channel 10.

Pawl 39 includes a lower camming surface 44 which extends upwardly and toward the plane of riser channel 10 so as to be engaged by each upwardly moving coin and thereby urged away from the plane of riser channel 10.

Pawl 39 also includes an upper surface 46 forming a column support surface for retaining the column of coins against return movement in channel 10.

A leaf spring 48 yieldingly urges the free end of leaf member 40 toward the plane of riser channel 10 so as to permit pawl 39 to be manually withdrawn from beneath the column 23 of coins and thereby permit them to be dropped out the bottom thereof.

The lower end of riser channel 10 is otherwise unobstructed and after removal of lifter assembly 18, as by unscrewing bolt 26, coins in riser channel 10 will fall from the bottom of the apparatus.

Coins enter the machine through a coin receiving slot 50. Thereafter the coins drop into an acceptor 52 of conventional design where tests are applied to determine whether they are genuine.

Subsequently, the coins leave the acceptor 52 and fall by gravity into the upper end 54 of a coin chute 56- adapted to engage the edges of the coins and guide them into the plane of channel 16. The front and back faces of chute 56 are relieved appropriately to permit the coins to tip when moving into the plane of channel 16.

Operation from this point is as follows: The coin continues to fall, by gravity, downwardly through passageway 14 and into channel 10 where it rests upon the upper surface of tine 22. Upon receipt of a suitable signal, as can be variously applied depending upon the nature of the related installation employing the apparatus herein, actuator 38 is operated to move rod 36 and member 20 upwardly thereby lifting the coin in channel 10.

As the coin being lifted engages surface 46 of pawl 39, the pawl 39 is urged away from the plane of channel 10 so as to permit the coin to pass behind. At the same time, the upper edge of the coin contacts the bottommost coin in the column of coins, and the entire column 23 is elevated upwardly to a point above the column support surface 46 of pawl 39.

Just before the lifter member 20 drops downwardly to its retracted position from the advanced position previously achieved, pawl 39 snaps back toward the rear plane of channel 10 whereby surface 46 engages the lower edge of the bottommost coin of the column of coins before withdrawal of member 20.

When it is desired to service the machine and remove all coins from riser channel 10, bolt 26 may be unscrewed from guide block 32, and leaf member 40 manually drawn away from the channel 10. Coins in channel 10 may then fall downwardly through the open lower end of channel 10 and be collected in a canvas bag or the like.

As successive coins are elevated by lifter assembly 18 they ultimately emerge at the upper end of riser channel 10 in a plane defined by the backing plate 12, which extends to the upper end of the apparatus (FIGURES 6-8). A cam surface 58 is disposed substantially normal to the plane in which the coins move and further extends upwardly at an angle across the upper end of riser channel 10 so as to translate the emerging coins laterally in the plane of their movement. The coins pass horizontally through an exit slot 59 which terminates the upper end of the riser channel 10.

The translated coins drop from the exit slot 59 into coin feed hopper 60 which communicates to a. payout storage tube 62. The tube 62 is open at its upper end for receiving and accumulating a cylindrical stack 64 of coins. The coin 'feed hopper 60 includes means for controlling and guiding the coins from the exit slot 59 of riser channel 10 to tube 62 as will now be described.

The coin feed hopper comprises a generally hollow structure including a front wall 66 terminating below the slot 59. The top of the wall 66 defines a plane tilted preferably 30 to the vertical and intersecting the plane of the riser channel 10 at the exit slot 59.

A coin deflection assembly 68 is mounted to the top of the front wall 66 by screws 70 engaging U-shaped spacer 72 to which is fastened a main deflector plate 74. The plate 74 lies in a spaced parallel plane with respect to the top of the wall 66, thereby providing an upper surface for guiding coins, the surface extending downwardly and across the plane of coin movement at an angle of 30 thereto and over the upper end of tube 62. The lower edge 74a of plate 74 terminates about of a coin diameter from the wall 66 over which it extends.

The coin deflection assembly 68 also includes a secondary deflection member 76 which is constructed with a plate member 76a arranged to angle downwardly and away from the plane of movement of the emerging coins, and having an upper surface making an angle preferably of 60 to the vertical plane of coin movement from the exit slot 59. The lower edge of the member 76a terminates above overflow hopper 78 so that excess coins are passed away from the hopper 60 and assembly 68. The plate 76 is disposed in spaced relation with deflection plate 74 so as to form a gap 79 therebetween. The gap 79 is dimensioned to permit coins to pass into the container 61. The plate 76 is provided with another portion 76b which is bent back and downwardly to form an upper surface lying in spaced parallel relation to the deflector plate 74 and about a coin thickness therefrom to form with it an elongate slot 80', beginning at the gap 79, having a dimension in the direction of coin movement of about /s- /z a coin diameter.

It has been found that the position of the exit slot 59 and of the various deflecting components in the assembly 68 are capable of being arranged relative to each other so that a very positive coin handling action is achieved which selectively fills the tube 62 to the top before coins are deflected into the overflow hopper. The critical dimensioning is as follows. The main deflector plate 74 extends over the stack of coins in the tube 62 to a distance approximately of the diameter of the coin. It will be seen from the angle of 30 to the vertical that a coin resting upon the lower lip of the deflector in deflection plate 74 will lie approximately of its diameter from the opposite wall of the tube 62. The gap 79 is positioned to lie approximately two coin thicknesses horizontally away from the exit slot 59 and toward the center of the tube 62. It will be seen that the slot is therefore spaced above the gap by approximately 3 /2 to 4 coin thicknesses in order to permit the emerging coins to pass into the hopper 60. It is also desired that the spaced parallel planes (comprising slot 80) defined by the portion 76b of the deflector 76 and the deflecting plate 74 extend for a distance of about between /3 and /2 of a coin diameter in the direction of travel of the coin.

With the above dimensioning, it has been found that the deflector asembly is capable of passing coins into the storage tube 62 until the same is filled and then passing coins to the overflow tube, these functions being carried out without jamming of coins in the mechanism and without the necessity of having any moving parts in the mechanism.

In many instances, in apparatus of the kind described, the stack 62 of coins of a certain denomination may run out, and need to be replenished from outside the machine. Accordingly, means is provided whereby a service man, can, from the outside of the machine, replenish the stack of coins in container 62. To this end, a replenishment port 82 is formed between the top edge of plate 74 and of an insert 84 arranged at right angles thereto whereby coins can be fed into a container 62.

The overflow hopper 78 has a generally smooth interior basin configuration and receives the overflow coins and guides them to a drain 90. A readily removable cylindrical container 92 is threaded to the bottom of drain 90 and adapted to be filled by the overflow coins.

Up to this point, means have been described which provide for the feeding of coins along a predetermined path which leads ultimately into container 62 for collecting the coins. In addition, however, means have been further provided at the lower end of the cylindrical stack 64 of coins for the purpose of discharging coins therefrom, upon a predetermined signal, as now to be described in conjunction with FIGURES 9 and 10.

A discharge slot 94 is formed to extend transversely of the stack and to lead into container 62 at the level of the bottommost coin thereof. The dimension of slot 94 is adapted to pass only the bottommost coin while retaining the next adjacent coin in the stack. An ejector apparatus is provided which is movable to discharge coins through slot 94 and which further serves to bump the full stack of coins upwardly during the discharge movement so as to joggle the coins of the stack.

Thus, the ejector assembly 96 includes a coin ejecting push rod member 98 disposed for coin ejecting move ments between retracted and projected positions. A shearing edge 99 is provided so as to engage the side edge of the bottommost coin of the stack and drive it toward slot 94 to the exclusion of the coin next above. Push rod 98 is charcterized by an inclined upper cam surface 100 disposed to wedge beneath that coin next above the bottommost coin, whereby quick reciprocal ejecting movement or rod 98 joggles the stack 64 in a coin settling activation. A pneumatic actuator is coupled to drive push rod 98 between its retracted and advanced positions and supplies a considerable driving force thereto sufficient to lift the relatively heavy column of coins in container 62.

Push rod 98 is received, at the lower end of container 62, by a guide block 102 comprised of a pair of guides, the lower one of which is formed with a grooved channel 104 adapted to slidably receive the outer end of rod 98. The upper half of guide block 102 is formed with an opening to receive the coins of stack 64 whereby coins accumulated in container 62 drop downwardly into a alignment with slot 94.

Push rod 98 is arranged to be driven in parallelism with the piston rod 108 of a fluid actuator 110. A connecting bar 112 serves to join the ends of piston rod 108 and push rod 98, and a slide block 114 supports push rod 98 during its coin ejecting movement.

Conventional controls, depending upon the installation in which the apparatus herein may be employed, serve to operate fluid actuator 110 to eject coins at appropriate times from tube 62. Accordingly, the controls for operating actuator 110 to discharge coins from tube 62 are represented generally only as the schematic block diagram 116 which is arranged to apply pressure and exhaust to the fluid actuator 110 in order to impart a reciprocation to push rod 114.

Occasionally, the available coin supply from a storage tube 62 is exhausted and the apparatus cannot dispense change. Accordingly, means is provided for locking out deposit coins from channels when no more coins are available for making change and the like, as, for example, for locking out the one-half dollar entry slot when the supply of quarters is exhausted. Referring then in particular to FIGURES ll-l3, such means includes an electromechanical lockout mechanism including a coin stack sensor switch 120 (shown also in the schematic portion of FIGURE 13 as mounted on the side of the tube 62' and provided with an actuating arm 122 (shown also in the schematic portion of FIGURE 13 as 122') lying through a port 124 provided in the sidewall of the tube so that the actuator arm 122 is deflected to open the switch when a stack of coins is present in the tube, and is undeflected to permit the switch to close when coins are absent. The switch is connected in series with a power supply 126 and a normally closed single pole switch 128 which is intermittently opened by a motor actuated camming device 129 at the end of each function cycle to break the power flow to a solenoid 130. The solenoid 130 is operatively connected to open a two position valve 132 to admit fluid under pressure to an actuator 134.

The actuator 134 is provided with a spring biased piston 136 carrying a stern 138. The stem overlies an actuating lever 140 affixed to a shaft 142 journalled for rotation in a portion 144 of the apparatus framework so that the end opposite the lever underlies the coin receiving slot 50. A lockout finger 146 is rigidly mounted on the shaft 142 and extends upwardly to thereby partially block the open ing 50. The crank arrangement formed by the lever, shaft, and finger is biased into lockout position by a torsion spring 148 having one end engaging the finger 146 and the other end engaging the fixed portion 144 of the apparatus framework.

In operation, after a coin is inserted and changed, a section (not shown) of the apparatus actuates rotation of the motor and camming device 129 to open the power circuit to solenoid 132 and de-energize the actuator which then permits movement of the shaft 142 by the bias spring and repositioning of the finger into lockout position in the coin receiving slot 50. The motor and camming device may also be used to open switch 128 during machine operation to prevent the deposit of another coin until the cycle is completed. After switch 128 returns to normally closed position, and, if the storage tubes 62' of the appropriate coin denomination contain coins, switch 122' will close again to thereby energize the lockout device open. If coins are not available in tube 62, the switch 122' will remain opened and the circuit to the solenoid opened to thereby lock out deposit of coins for which there would be no available change.

We claim:

1. In coin handling apparatus, means defining an upright riser channel for guiding a column of coins upwardly in their own planes in edge to edge relation, a passage formed in the side of said channel and adapted to pass coins therethrough to enter the channel, means defining a downwardly directed coin receiving channel for guiding coins to move by gravity in their through said passage, a readily removable coin lifter in and movable along said riser channel between lowered and raised positions to engage in its lowered position a coin delivered to the riser channel via said passage and to carry said coin and the column of coins upwardly along said riser channel in moving to its raised position, detent means protruding into the riser channel for engaging the lowermost coin in the column to arrest retrograde movement of the column, said detent means being movable manually away from the riser channel to permit retrograde movement of the column of coins, the lower end of said riser channel being otherwise unobstructed after removal of said lifter to permit unloading of the riser column by the manual movement of said detent means.

2. Apparatus according to claim '1 wherein said detent means includes a pawl and means supporting said pawl to protrude into said riser channel and adapted to be engaged by coins therein, the last said means being yieldingly movable away from said riser channel, said pawl being formed and disposed whereby upwardly moving coins urge the pawl away from the riser channel to permit the upwardly moving coins to pass, and whereby retrograde movement of the column downwardly is arrested by the pawl thereafter.

own planes to pass 3. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said detent means comprises a pawl having distal and proximal ends, means supporting said pawl with respect to the riser channel including a leaf member, having distal and proximal ends, for supporting the proximal end of said pawl from the proximal end of the leaf member, the distal end of the pawl extending into said riser channel, said pawl having lower and upper surfaces, said lower surface extending upwardly and toward the plane of said riser channel and disposed to be engaged and urged away from the plane of the riser channel by coins being lifted upwardly in the riser channel, said upper pawl surface forming a column support surface for retaining said column of coins against retrograde movement thereof, and a spring yieldingly urging the distal end of said leaf member toward said riser channel to permit said leaf member to be moved manually to withdraw said pawl from the riser channel.

4. In coin handling apparatus, means defining a riser channel for guiding a column of coins upwardly in their own planes in edge to edge relation, means for feeding coins into the riser channel to be moved upwardly therein, lifter means for moving the column of coins upwardly to emerge out of an exit slot defined at the upper end of the riser channel in a predetermined plane, a. container open at its upper end for receiving coins from the exit slot and forming therefrom a cylindrical stack of coins, the axis of said stack being spaced from said predetermined plane, a deflector plate extending downwardly and away from said plane and having a lower edge extending over the upper end of said container, said deflector plate mounted at about a 30 angle to the plane defined by said riser channel, and a second deflector plate mounted in shingled relation to said first deflection plate and at about a 60 angle to said riser channel, said second deflector plate spaced from said first deflection plate approximately a coin thickness to define therebetween a gap for receiving and permitting said coins to pass into the container.

5. Coin handling apparatus as in claim 4 in which said lower edge of said first deflection plate extends about Vs of a coin diameter over the container.

6. Coin handling apparatus as in claim 5 in which said gap defined by said deflection plates is horizontally positioned about two coin thicknesses toward the axis of the container.

7. Coin handling apparatus as in claim 4 in which the second deflection plate is provided with a portion bent backward into parallel alignment with the first deflection plate, the second deflection plate extending from about A to /2 coin diameter therealong and spaced from said first deflection plate approximately a coin thickness.

8. Apparatus according to claim 4 in combination further with a replenishment port formed to extend through said backing plate means from the outside of said coin handling apparatus, said port being disposed above said deflector plate in disposition to direct coins along the plate from said port to thereby replenish said stack.

9. Apparatus according to claim 4 in combination further with an overflow hopper for receiving those coins guided across said second deflector, a drain formed in said hopper, and a readily removable cylindrical container coupled to said drain adapted to be filled by overflow co1ns.

10. In coin handling apparatus, means for feeding coins along a predetermined path, container means for collecting coins from the path and for forming them into a cylindrical stack, means forming a discharge slot extending transversely of the stack into said container means at the level of the bottommost coin of the stack and dimensioned, disposed and adapted to pass the bottommost coin therethrough while retaining in the stack that coin which is next above the bottommost coin, and ejector means movable to discharge coins through the slot, said ejector means having portions for lifting said stack during said discharge thereby to activate the coins comprising the stack.

11. Apparatus acording to claim 10 wherein said ejector means includes a coin ejecting member disposed for coin ejecting movements between retracted and advanced positions to engage the edge of the bottommost coin of the stack and drive it toward said slot to the exclusion of the coin next above, said ejecting member being characterized by an inclined upper surface disposed to wedge beneath that coin next above the bottommost coin and raise said stack during the ejecting movement of said member.

12. Apparatus according to claim 11 further including a fluid driven actuator coupled to drive said member between said retracted and advanced positions to eject the bottommost coin of the stack and raise the remainder of the stack during the ejection.

13. In coin handling apparatus, means for feeding coins along a predetermined path, means defining a coin deposit slot arranged in communication with said first named means, container means for collecting coins from the path and for forming them into a cylindrical stack, means forming a discharge slot extending transversely of the stack and into said container means at the level of the bottommost coin of the stack and dimensioned, disposed, and adapted to pass the bottommost coin therethrough while retaining in the stack that coin which is next above the bottommost coin, ejector means movable to discharge coins through the slot, and means for locking coins out of the deposit slot when the stack of coins is depleted, said last named means including an electrical switch having an actuating arm lying through a port provide in the side wall of the container and adapted to be deflected to open the switch when the stack of coins is present in the container and to permit the switch to close when the coins are absent, a power supply and a solenoid connected in series with a switch, means operatively connected to said solenoid for blocking the deposit slot at one position of the solenoid, said last named means including an axle rotatably mounted adjacent the coin receiving slot and carrying a lever adapted to be actuated by said solenoid, a lockout finger mounted on said axle and arranged to block slot opening in one position thereof and to be movable away from said opening at another position, spring meas biasing said finger into a lockout position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,582,659 4/1926 Baker.

1,604,804 10/1926 Butterfield.

1,674,251 6/ 1928 Kelley 221-268 1,981,467 11/1934 Radtke 221-117 2,618,280 11/1952 York 133-5 2,629,477 2/ 1953 May 133-4 X 2,973,076 2/1961 Hatohcr 194-83 X 3,061,147 10/1962 Vilmerding 221-268 3,168,179 2/1965 Tiedemann 133-5 3,204,648 9/1965 Rumor et a1 133-4 WALTER SOBIN, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN COIN HANDLING APPARATUS, MEANS DEFINING AN UPRIGHT RISER CHANNEL FOR GUIDING A COLUMN OF COINS UPWARDLY IN THEIR OWN PLANES IN EDGE TO EDGE RELATION, A PASSAGE FORMED IN THE SIDE OF SAID CHANNEL AND ADAPTED TO PASS COINS THERETHROUGH TO ENTER THE CHANNEL, MEANS DEFINING A DOWNWARDLY DIRECTED COIN RECEIVING CHANNEL FOR GUIDING COINS TO MOVE BY GRAVITY IN THEIR OWN PLANES TO PASS THROUGH SAID PASSAGE, A READILY REMOVABLE COIN LIFTER IN AND MOVABLE ALONG SAID RISER CHANNEL BETWEEN LOWERED AND RAISED POSITIONS TO ENGAGE IN ITS LOWERED POSITION A COIN DELIVERED TO THE RISER CHANNEL VIA SAID PASSAGE AND TO CARRY SAID COIN AND THE COLUMN OF COINS UPWARDLY ALONG SAID RISER CHANNEL IN MOVING TO ITS RAISED POSITION, DETENT MEANS PROTRUDING INTO THE RISER CHANNEL FOR ENGAGING THE LOWERMOST COIN IN THE COLUMN TO ARREST RETROGRADE MOVEMENT OF THE COLUMN, SAID DETENT MEANS BEING MOVABLE MANUALLY AWAY FROM THE RISER CHANNEL TO PERMIT RETROGRADE MOVEMENT OF THE COLUMN OF COINS, THE LOWER END OF 